Convertible type furniture



Dec. 9, 1947. R. F. BUTLER I CONVERTIBLE TYPE FURNITURE Filed Oct. 3, 1944 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 52 Fan/r 661%) By M14 Dec. 9, 1947. R. F. BUTLER CONVERTIBLE TYPE FURNITURE a Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed eat. a. 1944 In ve n to r Dec. '9, 1947. R. F. BUTLER CONVERTIBLE TYPE FURNITURE Filed Oct. 3. 1944' 3 Sheets-Sheet s Inventor [fl/l p a mg Patented Dec. 9, 1 947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVERTIBLE TYPE FURNITURE Robert Frank Butler, Estes Park, Colo.

Application October 3, 1944, Serial No. 556,953

2 Claims.

This invention relates to convertible furniture, and more specific reference to a so-called apart ment bedrobe, the same being especially assembled for use either as a chest of drawers or as a horizontally elongated supporting base for a bed.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a simple and expedient convertible structural arrangement which is designed to conserve material and space in apartments and homes of limited types.

In carrying out the principles of the invention, 1 have found it expedient and practicable to use a box-like enclosure or casing, this constructed to accommodate a slidable drawer and being provided on one side with a rectangular frame which constitutes the base proper. This provides a novel unit, through the medium of which it is possible to combine several of same and to attach them together in a horizontal plane to provide a supporting base for a bed, that is, a structure which will accommodate springs and mattress to combine therewith in providing a complete bed, while at the same time affording, from the longitudinal edges of the bed, the added facilities and storage provisions of the drawers.

Another phase of the invention has to do with the aforementioned drawer-equipped, box-like unit having sockets to accommodate dowel pins, whereby it is possible to place the units in superposed relationship to construct a simple and expedient chest of drawers.

Other features and advantages will be set forth later.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are 1- employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assemblage of units or parts arranged to provide a supporting base for a bed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the units in superposed relationship to construct and provide the aforementioned chest of drawers.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of one of the special units.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on the plane of the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 3, also looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figures 6 and 8 are details of the dowel pinequipped elements or members.

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the dowel pin elements are employed in adjoining the drawer-equipped units.

The individual drawer-equipped units are denoted and distinguished by the numerals 8. Each comprises a substantially rectangular box-like casing or enclosure 9 which is open on one side and which constitutes an appropriate housing for the slidable drawer Ill. The drawer is of any appropriate construction and provided with suitable simple knobs ll. At predetermined points, that is, on the end, the box-like enclosures 9 are provided with sockets l2 to accommodate dowel pins in a manner to be hereinafter described. Each unit is provided with a substantially rectangular base frame, this held in place by dowel pins fitting into the sockets provided in said frame and into the sockets provided in the end members of the box-like enclosures. The frames I3 are slightly smaller in their perimeter dimensions than the bottom of the box-like enclosures.

By placing four of the units in end-to-end and back-to-back relation and in the same plane with one another, as shown in Figure 1, it is possible to thus construct a substantial drawerequipped base to serve as a part of a bed, that is, as a support for the springs and mattress. This is accomplished by employing cleats or plates !4 of appropriate shapes and sizes, these plates having dowel pins l5 which fit into the sockets, as shown in Figure 7, and thus connect the various units together. When used as a bed, I provide a vertical back or headboard IE which is shown in Figure 1, and is secured in place by angle iron clips ll.

As previously stated, the structure herein shown and described is usable either as (A) a support ing base for a bed; or (B) as a chest of drawers. The latter assemblage and arrangement is depicted in Figure 2. Here it is necessary to use only one of the base frames I3, as is evident. Any number of drawer units can be employed either two, three or four. In the drawings I have shown four, and these are superposed one upon the other, thus providing a vertical battery, as it were. All that is necessary here is to stack the units one On top of the other, as illustrated, and

to connect same together by dowel pins l8 which bridge the adjoining ends. It is evident from this that the structure, as a whole, is of a versatile and highly useful character.

The advantages of the bedrobe are many.

One advantage of the bedrobe is that it saves space by using the space usually wasted under the bed.

Another advantage is that cleaning is much easier. There is no cleaning to be done under the bedrobe. This space which usually collects lint from the bedding is eliminated, as the boxes sit directly on the floor. 7

Another advantage of the bedrobe is that there is no need for large rugs or carpets. Nice throw rugs to cover the small spaces between the beds and between the beds and the walls are all that are necessary.

While a footboard can be added, there is no need for one, as the springs are supported on the 3 boxes. Spreads can be used on the bedrobe to make a nicer showing than on a bed requiring a foot.

The drawers of the bedrobe can be divided by partitions to fit in grooves cut in the sides and ends of the drawers, to form compartments for I clothing. One used by a man may be divided to hold shirts, underwear, socks, handkerchiefs, shoes, gloves, or anything else. A woman would want a drawer divided to hold lingerie, shoes, skirts, hats, waists, hankies, or anything that should be kept in a 'dustless place. The drawers fit their boxes so that there is no place for dust to enter.

Linen and extra bedding can be kept in part of the drawers, and is always at hand.

Drawers made of, or lined with, cedar make a convenient storage place for woolens.

In case of moving, time is saved by not having to pack or unpack all of the wearin apparel, bedding r linens that are kept in the drawers. Everything is in its place when the new home is reached.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a convertible knockdown furniture assembly of the class described, a plurality of substantially rectangular duplicate hollow box-like enclosures open only on their outer longitudinal sides, there being four such enclosures arranged in a horizontal plane and disposed in abutting end-to-end pairs, the thus abutting pairs being in back to back relation with each other and providing an elongated bed foundation, individual frames underlying the bottoms of said enclosures, said frames and portions of said enclosures having aligned sockets, dowel pins arranged in said aligned sockets detachably connecting the enclosures to the frames, said frames serving to support said enclosures in the aforementioned horizontal plane, a slidable drawer for each enclosure, the drawers being accessible only from the exterior longitudinal marginal sides of the complete assembly, cleats provided with assembling and retaining pins, said enclosures having sockets for reception of said pins, said cleats, when in position, serving to maintain the enclosures in the aforementioned end-to-end and back-to-back relationship, and a head board abutting and detachably connected to corresponding ends of two of said enclosures.

2. In a convertible knockdown furniture assembly of the class described, a plurality of substantially rectangular duplicate hollow box-like enclosures open only on their outer longitudinal sides, there being four such enclosures arranged in a horizontal plane and disposed in abutting end-to-end pairs, the thus abutting pairs being in back-to-back relation with each other and providing an elongated bed foundation, individual frames underlying the bottoms of said enclosure, said frames and co-acting portions of said enclosures having aligned sockets, dowel pins arranged in said aligned sockets detachably connecting the enclosures to the frames, said frames serving to support said enclosures in the aforementioned horizontal plane, a slidable drawer for each enclosure, the drawers being accessible only from the exterior longitudinal marginal sides of the complete assembly, cleats provided with assembling and retaining pins, said enclosures having sockets for reception of said pins, said cleats, when in position, serving to maintain the enclosures in the aforementioned end-to-end and back-to-back relationship, and a head board abutting and detachably connected to corresponding ends of two of said enclosures, said enclosures being separable from the underlying supporting frames, and separable from one another, said head board being removable, whereby to permit the enclosures to be stacked in superposed relationship to convert the bed foundation into a chest of drawers.

R. FRANK BUTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,355,486 Longenecker Oct. 12, 1920 1,284,710 Kostrzewa Nov. 12, 1918 81,065 Brown Aug. 18, 1868 992,602 Russell May 16, 1911 1,857,640 Johnson May 10, 1932 85,811 Gill Jan. 12, 1869 2,358,160 Haack Sept. 12, 1944 1,573,608 Huffman Feb. 16, 1926 833,582 Tobey Nov. 13, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 294,936 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1929 577,172 Germany May 24, 1932 327,334 Italy July 11, 1935 557,031 Germany Aug, 18, 1932 734,647 France Aug. 2, 1932 

